Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he considers it impossible to hold peace negotiations with Vladimir Putin on the territory of Russia or Belarus. The Ukrainian leader made the statement while answering questions during an online chat hosted by the Office of the President, TSN reported.
According to him, the location of a potential meeting cannot be in a country that is an aggressor in the war against Ukraine.
“I cannot come to negotiate with Putin in Moscow, the capital of a country that is the aggressor in this war,” Zelenskyy said.
He also explained that Belarus is not being considered as a possible venue because it acted as an ally of Russia in the offensive against Ukraine in 2022.
Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian side is ready to discuss other location options, including on the territory of the United States, European countries, or any neutral state. According to the president, Ukraine is open to proposals from its Western partners, except for holding a meeting in Russia or Belarus.
“We are ready to support proposals from the United States, America, to meet on any territories of America, Europe, a neutral country — any states, except the Russian Federation and Belarus. Belarus — because it is an ally in the offensive against Ukraine in 2022,” he concluded.